Rep. Chris Murphy at a job fair he sponsored in New Britain, Conn., on Thursday.

Jessica HillAP

It might seem counterintuitive, but the man running against Republican Linda McMahon in her second attempt at becoming Connecticut's first female senator wants this race to be all about women.

Democratic Rep. Chris Murphy released an ad this week, hammering McMahon's stance on women's health and reminding voters of McMahon's former role as CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment.

"As CEO, Linda McMahon demeaned women to make millions in her business," a woman claims in the ad. Another says: "As senator, McMahon would support a Republican proposal that would allow my employer to deny me coverage for contraception, and she will deny coverage for mammograms, siding with the most extreme Republicans to deny women health care."

In an ad of her own, she said: "Chris, take a look: I am a woman, a pro-choice woman. My company offered excellent health benefits that included mammograms and access to birth control. It's absurd to claim I'd vote differently."

Still, in an interview, McMahon acknowledges she would have voted for a GOP amendment that failed this year in the Senate. It would have blocked the Obama administration's order that health plans in institutions run by religious organizations provide free contraceptives to women.

"I really felt that institutions that were, you know, religious oriented, should be able, you know, not to have to provide contraception," McMahon said.

Two years ago, McMahon lost by 12 percentage points to Democrat Richard Blumenthal. This year, McMahon and Murphy are competing for the Senate seat being vacated by independent Sen. Joe Lieberman.

Yale University political scientist Eleanor Powell says McMahon, using her vast personal fortune and fame, really never stopped running, although this time she's been aggressively courting women.

"She's managed to portray that she's done a lot for Connecticut women and, whereas, Murphy's been, you know, in the House of Representatives taking votes ... with the Democrats, which are sort of more traditionally allied with many women's issues," Powell said. "It's impressive how she's managed to convey this pro-women's agenda."

Meanwhile, another McMahon TV ad released earlier this month reminds voters that before going to Congress, Murphy missed rent and mortgage payments, and got what the ad portrays as a questionable home equity loan.

"How?" the ad asks. "The bank that gave Murphy the loan was also giving him campaign contributions because Murphy sat on the banking committee. Murphy voted for the bank bailout, and Murphy's favorite bank got a $400 million bailout. Connect the dots."

Murphy, who was a member of the House Committee on Financial Services, rejected those claims at a news conference earlier this week.

"I've made mistakes with my personal finances, but I've paid back what I owed," Murphy said. "Independent analysts who've examined Linda's lies have declared them to be false and out of line."

Congressional expert Arthur Paulson of Southern Connecticut State University says that as a Democrat, Murphy should be doing better.

"If you forced me to choose, I would say right now I think Murphy's going to win, but that's what I would've said all along, and I'm surprised we're even in a contest here," Paulson said.

In a state that hasn't sent a Republican to the Senate in more than three decades, two recent polls have Murphy ahead of McMahon by just a few points.

Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.

Transcript

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Robert Siegel.

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

And I'm Melissa Block. Now to the surprisingly close Senate race in Connecticut. Joe Lieberman is retiring and his seat will go either to Democratic Congressman Chris Murphy or the former impresario of World Wrestling Entertainment, Linda McMahon, a Republican. Two years ago, she spent $50 million trying to win the state's other Senate seat, but she lost badly. NPR's David Welna tells us what the race is all about this time.

DAVID WELNA, BYLINE: It might seem counterintuitive, but the male politician running against the lady making a second attempt at becoming Connecticut's first female senator wants this race to be all about women. Democratic Chris Murphy is airing this ad that hammers Republican Linda McMahon's stance on women's health.

(SOUNDBITE OF AD)

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #1: As senator, McMahon would support a Republican proposal that would allow my employer to deny me coverage for contraception.

WELNA: Still, in an interview, McMahon acknowledges she would have voted for a GOP amendment that failed this year in the Senate. It would have blocked the Obama administration's order that health plans in institutions run by religious organizations provide free contraceptives to women.

MCMAHON: And I really felt that institutions that were, you know, religious-oriented, should be able, you know, not to have to provide contraception.

WELNA: The back and forth over women is head-spinning for Joanne D'Angelo(ph), a registered Democrat in New Haven.

JOANNE D'ANGELO: I'm very confused, and it's hard to figure out who's telling the truth. And if that doesn't come up, it's going to be a real - a big conflict for me because I really don't know who to vote for.

WELNA: Right now, D'Angelo is inclined to vote for Linda McMahon after voting against her two years ago when McMahon lost by 12 percentage points to Democrat Richard Blumenthal. Yale University political scientist Eleanor Powell says McMahon, using her vast personal fortune and fame, really never stopped running, although this time she's been aggressively courting women.

ELEANOR POWELL: She's managed to portray that she's done a lot for Connecticut women and - whereas, Murphy's been, you know, in the House of Representatives, taking votes, you know, with the Democrats, who are sort of more traditionally allied with many women's issues. And it's impressive how she's managed to convey this pro-women's agenda.

WELNA: Meanwhile, another McMahon TV ad reminds voters that before going to Congress, Chris Murphy missed rent and mortgage payments, and got what the ad portrays as a questionable home equity loan.

(SOUNDBITE OF AD)

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #4: How? The bank that gave Murphy the loan was also giving him campaign contributions because Murphy sat on the banking committee. Murphy voted for the bank bailout, and Murphy's favorite bank got a $400 million bailout. Connect the dots.

WELNA: Murphy rejected those claims at a news conference earlier this week.

CHRIS MURPHY: I've made mistakes with my personal finances, but I've paid back what I owed. And independent analysts who've examined Linda's lies have declared them to be false and out of line.

MURPHY: Linda McMahon's campaign strategy is to keep this campaign on lies about me and my family's finances.

WELNA: For Democrat Jane Denit(ph) of New Haven, Murphy is still a better choice.

JANE DENIT: Was Chris Murphy wrong to not pay his bills on time? Yes. Has she experienced not being able to pay your bills on time? Yes. I don't think it makes him less of a person or less capable of doing the job.

WELNA: Still, congressional expert Arthur Paulson of Southern Connecticut State University says as a Democrat, Murphy should be doing better.

ARTHUR PAULSON: If you forced me to choose, I would say right now I think Murphy's going to win. But that's what I would've said all along, and I'm surprised we're even in a contest here.

WELNA: In a state that hasn't sent a Republican to the Senate in more than three decades, two recent polls have Murphy ahead of McMahon by just a few points. David Welna, NPR News, New Haven, Connecticut. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.